I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clips and hanger devices for attachment to suspended ceilings. More particularly, the present invention relates to resilient, plastic clips designed to be snap-fitted to suspended ceiling rails for supporting miscellaneous objects, and it relates to a method and apparatus for installing such clips. Pertinent prior art clips germane to the invention can be found in United States Patent Class 248, Subclasses 228.1, 228.3, 228.4, 228.7, 317, 318, 339 and 340.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Suspended ceilings are in widespread use, particularly in commercial environments including retail stores, business offices and the like. Typical suspended ceilings comprise an elevated array of grid-like, metal support rails that are suspended from adjacent ceiling structure. Typical ceiling support rails have an inverted, xe2x80x9cT-shapedxe2x80x9d vertical cross section. They comprise a planar, perpendicular portion disposed vertically with respect to ground, and an integral, horizontal flange portion forming the bottom. Typical suspended ceilings comprise multiple panels or ceiling tiles that are captivated between and supported upon the adjacent, spaced apart rails forming the superstructure. Some of the tiles or ceiling panels may mount various air-conditioning vents or louvers. Usually a plurality of light fixtures also supported by the rails are interspersed between various tiles. The tiles and light fixtures rest upon the horizontal xe2x80x9cflangesxe2x80x9d on the supporting rails, and they are horizontally restrained by abutment with the integral vertical portions. The mutually orthogonal edges of the spaced apart support rails form a regular, grid-like pattern, visually dividing the suspended ceiling into a plurality of rectangles or squares.
In many retail sales establishments, such as discount stores, grocery stores and the like, it is advantageous to prominently display various signs, flags, banners, advertisements, markers, placards, or the like. Frequently, diverse ornamental or utilitarian items such as toys, novelty displays, mobiles, stuffed animals, or Christmas decorations are also mounted to the ceiling structure for maximum visibility. In addition, flower pots or baskets are commonly suspended for aesthetic purposes. Items that are mounted as high as possible are more likely to be readily observed by customers. Obviously, mounting from the ceiling maximizes potential visibility. Another advantage with ceiling mounting is that the suspended item is positioned out-of-the way, and inadvertent or unwanted physical human contact is avoided.
A variety of hanging devices have been previously proposed for suspending various items from ceiling structures. Items are typically suspended from ceilings with easily releasable fasteners using magnets or quick-installing clips. Typical prior art clips usually comprise some form of jaw structure or engaging the horizontal flange portion of the metal rails.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,228, comprises a hanger clip for suspended ceilings that has a pair of spring biased jaws. The jaws are normally biased together by a coiled spring. Each jaw has a horizontal portion that grasps the ceiling rail, and when manually deflected apart they can be forced into a captivating position to attach themselves to a rail. Various items may thus be hung from a ceiling with the clip. However, manual installation and removal are required, usually with the use of ladder. This can be time-consuming and dangerous for the workman. In addition, this clip comprises several working parts that complicate the design and increase its cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,091 comprises an integral, extruded clip that similarly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed, jaw-like channels. Installation is preceded by manually compressing the clip, to leverage the channels apart. Upon release, they retract to grab and thus captivate the ceiling rail flange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,488 discloses a metal hanger with an integral, U-shaped end portion that initially grabs a portion of the ceiling rail. A separate retaining clip is required for completing installation. The clip fastens to the opposite side of the hanger, in engagement with the exposed edge of the ceiling rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,355 discloses a metal clip with a central body forming a center. A pair of integral flanges are radially spaced-apart relative to the center. The flanges are adapted to be rotated into a grasping position, whereby edge portions of a suspended ceiling rail are captivated by the clip flanges. The design necessitates a number of separate fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,215 provides a clip that is functionally similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,355 discussed above. A pair of radially spaced-apart flanges on opposite edges of the clip body are rotated into a captivating, gripping position upon installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,611 comprises a ceiling hanger with a central metal plate equipped with integral, cooperating flanges. The spaced-apart flanges snap into engagement across the ceiling rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,090 shows a resilient plastic clip that may be snap-fitted to a rail. The resilient walls of the generally V-shaped structure are deformable. They are integral with an apertured body from which a variety of items may be suspended.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,985 comprises a metallic hanger clip having a single edge portion that is frictionally forced into contact with the horizontal flange of a ceiling rail. An integral bent portion of the clip stabilizes the arrangement by frictional contact with the exposed underside of the ceiling rail.
Other diverse clips of possible relevance are seen in U.S. Utility Pat. Nos. 3,463,432, 3,561,718, 3,936,913, 4,073,458, 4,041,668, 5,490,651, and 5,806,823. Design patents D289,251 and D364,799 also disclose analogous ceiling attachment clips.
Prior art ceiling clips are deficient for several reasons. Prior art metal versions comprising compound parts are simply too expensive. Many clips fail to adequately grasp the ceiling rail. Some ceiling clips can twist or drop off if item being supported by the clip is bumped or twisted. Many clips are difficult to install, and some require special tools. In addition, it is often difficult and time-consuming to install or remove known suspended ceiling clips. Installation difficulties are further compounded when installing clips in congested areas.
Installation often requires the use of ladders, scaffolding, or power lifts that can elevate at least one workman into an accessible position. Successful, timely installation projects often requires several workmen. Often stepladders or ladders have to be used while one person holds the sign and the other person attaches wires or hangers to an overhead support. Also, to avoid customers inconvenience, signs or displays are often installed or removed when the store is closed for business, thereby increasing labor costs. Not surprisingly, hand tools with elongated handles that facilitate installation from the ground or floor have previously been developed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,725 discloses an elongated, pliers-like tool that can compress and elevate a ceiling clip for installation. The handles may be compressed manually, or a draw string may be deployed in hard-to-reach situations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,519 discloses a retractable pole for attaching items to previously-installed ceiling clips. It can be telescoped between elongated deployed positions and retracted, storage orientations.
Similar elongated tools for mounting ceiling clips or items to be suspend from such clips are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,135,692, 5,052,733, 5,188,332, 5,267,764, 5,938,255, 6,048,010.
Known installation tools have several disadvantages. Conventional tools are cumbersome and complex. They require substantial manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. For example, the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,332 has pivoting jaws which require substantial force. This makes it difficult to grab or release an object at the same time the jaws are being operated. Further, prior art tools are often incomplete, in that the installer-user must have a set of hand tools in addition to the clip-installation tool for successful use and installation.
Thus a rapidly deployable clip that can be easily and safely installed from the ground by a single person would be highly desirable. Such a clip must be inexpensive and lightweight, and at the same time, strong and dependable. Further, would be advantageous to avoid complex metallic tools with compound parts. A resilient plastic clip that accomplishes these goals, and a apparatus and a method for installing such a clip are proposed.
Our invention comprises a unique system for hanging diverse objects from conventional suspended ceilings. Resilient, injection-molded plastic clips described herein are adapted to be snap-fitted to the conventional, exposed rails in a typical suspended ceiling. Installation is conveniently done from the ground, without ladders or lifting equipment. A new barrel-like installation tool releasably captivates our clips, and holds them in a convenient installation position. The barrel tool threadably couples to conventional wooden poles and handles with ACME threads, so the assembly can be easily elevated into position adjacent a ceiling rail. Once the hook to be installed is appropriately positioned, it may be snap-fitted to the rail by pushing the pole. When the hook engages the ceiling rail, the pole and the barrel tool may be conveniently withdrawn, and the clip slides out of the tool.
We have proposed a pair of clips, one of which is J-shaped, and the other of which is U-shaped. Each of our new clips comprises a resilient plastic body comprising an upper clasp, an integral, lower hook portion for hanging an item from the ceiling, and an integral, midportion connecting the clasp and the hook. Each hook comprises a pair of halves that are resiliently coupled together.
The hook clasps comprise a opposed jaws that may be yieldably deflected apart during installation. Each generally C-shaped jaw comprises opposed, upper flanges that forcibly grip the ceiling rails. When pushed towards the ceiling rails the jaws snap apart and surmount the horizontal rail portion. When released, the jaws retract, with their flanges firmly gripping the rail.
The clip midportions are specially configured to engage the barrel-like installation tool. The preferred installation tool comprises a generally cylindrical body resembling a barrel. A pair of special receptacles formed on the body. The body comprises an internal, threaded bore having ACME threads adapted to be mated to the installation pole. Each clip midportion comprises a flat, gradually narrowing, trapezoidal section that is adapted to be inserted within a special gap in the tool""s special receptacles, that function as docking stations for removably receiving clips to be mounted. Each tool receptacle comprises a pair of generally planar retaining arms that face one another over a transverse captivation slot. The midportions of the clips slidably fit within the captivation slots to enable the barrel tool to remotely manipulate the clips when elevated by the installation pole.
A method of installing ceiling clips comprises the steps of providing resilient clips and barrel installation tools constructed as aforesaid. A suitable threaded pole is threadably coupled to the installation tool to provide access to the required height. The midportions of the clips are slidably mated to the installation tool""s docking stations, being temporarily confined within the captivation slots. After clips to be installed are thereby temporarily secured to the mounting tool, the user may press the clips upwardly into engagement with the ceiling rails. When appropriately elevated and aligned, the assembly may be thrust towards the rails, and the clips snap-fit over the horizontal rail bottom. Afterwards the desired item or items to be hung are merely suspended from the clips.
Thus, our invention provides a unique solution for quickly hanging miscellaneous objects upon exposed ceiling support rails.
A basic object is to provide clips and an installation method and apparatus for quickly suspending miscellaneous objects from ceilings with said clips.
A related object is to provide resilient plastic clips that can be quickly attached to exposed suspended ceiling rails for hanging or mounting a variety of utilitarian and aesthetic items.
A similar object is to provide a simple, multi-piece clip assembly that is easily installed with minimal tools.
A related object is to provide resilient suspension ceiling clip that can be safely installed from the ground.
Another object of our invention is to provide a tool that enables a single person to install suspended ceiling clips of the character described.
Another object is to provide a safe method of attaching clips to ceilings or to suspended ceiling frame rails from the ground, without ladders, stools, lifting equipment, scaffolding or similar elevating structure.
Another simple object of the present invention is to provide a clip for installation upon a suspended ceiling rail, and a convenient, easily operated system for installing the clips.
A further object of our invention is to provide a manipulating tool of the character described that can be employed with common household or office poles bearing standard threads.
It is yet a further object of our invention to provide a ceiling clip installation tool system that may be readily operated by a single individual from a relatively safe position on the ground or floor.
Another important object is to avoid the requirement of complex special tools or equipment utilizing compound parts or heavy metal components.
Conversely, an important object is to provide a simple plastic tool for aiding in the installation of ceiling-mounted suspension clips.
A related object is to provide a clip for suspension ceiling mounting that is inexpensive.
A still further object of our invention is to provide a clip of the character described that is strong, lightweight, and dependable.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent in the course of the following descriptive sections.